2006 Toyota Tacoma Review

Specifications

Street-Savvy Workhorse

It can reach 60 mph in seven seconds flat. Its capable of pulling over 0.9 g on the skidpad, which is more than what a Nissan 350Z can do. It can stop from 60 mph in an eyeball-flattening 115 feet. It can pull burnout after smoky burnout, and drift sideways all day long if you ask it to. And if that wasnt enough to convince you that its serious about performance, it can also tow yourskidoo and haul a dozen sheets of drywall too.

Wha?

Did that catch you off guard? If so, its time to become acquainted with the new face of performance, the X-Runner. This is Toyotas first
attempt at a true performance street truck, and its selected the very
accomplished Tacoma for a platform. It might be surprising for some to
find out that the X-Runner isnt an answer to a question that nobody
asked - its an answer to a question that a lot of people asked,
especially after those truck fans saw the concept it was modeled after
at the 2004 Chicago Motor Show. Toyota knows that theres big money in
the street scene, with a successful turnout for the Corolla XRS, Matrix
XRS and… er, well, there used to be a decent following for now
defunct Celica GT-S. And now, its making good on the Tacoma.

All X-Runners come in one guise: two-wheel drive, Access Cab (extended, 
with rear-hinged doors), with the most potent
engine and transmission package a Tacoma can get dropped under the
hood. But theres more to this quick pickup than merely having the
right boxes ticked on the order list, as there are other important
modifications.

The X-Runner is more rigid than the standard Tacoma Access Cab, as its
been fitted with additional bracing underneath to make the chassis and
cab less prone to flexing. In fact, the X-shaped braces are so
important to this truck that the whole performance package was named
after it. Second only to rigidity is suspension tuning on the
X-Runners performance list; it gets stiffer suspension bushings,
Bilstein monotube dampers and a spring rate thats 50-percent stiffer
than standard. Front anti-roll bars remain the same, but the rear
features a 1-inch anti-roll bar for improved foothold around corners.

Compared with the standard Tacoma, theres been some compromise in the standard workhorse truck duties with the X-Runner package.
Towing, for instance, is rated at 3,500 lbs, which is down from the
5,000 lbs available in the similarly configured 4X2 Tacoma Pre-Runner
and off-road optimized 4X4 Tacomas, but is still considerable for a
vehicle of such sporting capabilities. Payload capacity is rated at 910
lbs, the lowest in the Tacoma range, versus the 1,450 lb rating of the
Pre-Runner. But of course, the Pre-Runner was designed for an entirely
different crowd, enthused with speeding across deserts and tundra
plains, so Ill cease comparing apples to oranges. Nevertheless, the
X-Runner has a useful 6-foot, 1-inch long long bed, with a three-prong
electrical outlet capable of 400 watts of total power flow, rubberized
plastic latch points that slide along rails to keep your cargo still,
no doubt while youre testing the very limits of tire adhesion. Having
the Access Cab means the inclusion of two tiny jump-seats available for
emergency situations, or a usefully large dry storage space.

As a sport truck, the X-Runner is extremely well equipped, packed with all the usual creature comforts you might find in a regular car. Power windows, power mirrors, power locks with keyless entry (plus alarm), and cruise control are standard. While theres no leather to be found on the seats, it wraps the multi-function sport steering wheel and the gearknob on the manual transmission. The standard six-disc CD changer isnt bad, but its weak-kneed in comparison to some of the other systems offered up by the competition, as well as the upgrade JBL unit with subwoofer on the four-door version. I suppose there just wasnt enough room to fit the speakers, power-amp and sub in such a small space, so a boombox strapped to the tailgate should do.

Whats great about the X-Runner is that it advertises its performance in the least discreet manner possible; it goes fast, so why not let the world know? The standard Tacoma is a good looking truck, but the X-Runner is even better. The suspension mods drop it by a half inch, which allows it to sit closer to the ground than any other Toyota truck, and it rides on some impressive 255/40 series high-performance Bridgestone summer tires on chunky five-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels. But the stance is only half of the appearance; the accessories make up the rest. Theres a full body kit with complete ground effects, menacing black-painted grille, fog lights, body-colored rear bumper and a dummy hood scoop. The only thing thats really missing is a big, gigantic spoiler, and sponsors stickers. Your choice of color is limited to electric blue, black, or 500-watt red, the approximate shade of embarrassment that a challenger in a modified compact tinbox will display after being dusted.

What makes the miraculous feat of truly brisk acceleration possible in the Tacoma might surprise you. Its no big-bore V8, but rather an intelligent, if not large-ish V6 engine. The 4.0-liter V6 with variable valve timing, which made its debut in 2003 on the 4Runner now finds itself under the hood of the FJ Cruiser and Tacoma. Output on this model remains consistent with the others at 236 horsepower, which isnt particularly robust, but its the monstrous 266 lb-ft of torque that gets this truck moving. By default, thats routed through a six-speed manual gearbox, and theres no automatic gearbox option. The veracity of close-spread ratios is debatable; I found the gears to be very long: 60 mph is attained at the top of second gear. But redlining (5,500 rpm) isnt something the engine likes to do because swiftness is delivered post-haste starting at 2,000 rpm, the motors punchy sweet spot. But, go all out and theres more than enough power to cause the rear tires to chirp on hard up-shifts through second, and even third gear before the limited slip differential locks the power straight to the ground. Toyota really proves that six is really enough.

And, in the event that the X-Runner isnt quick or powerful enough, a stop at your local Toyota dealership to grab the TRD (Toyota Racing Development) aftermarket parts catalog should be of use. Toyota offers an assortment of performance goodies from a short shifter kit for faster shifts, to a cat-back exhaust to free up a couple of extra ponies. But if you want to unleash an entire stampedes worth of ponies, bide your time as TRD has a supercharger in the works. Toyotas in-house tuners displayed a 400-horsepower supercharged X-Runner at last years SEMA show, and bottom dollar is that itll be arriving in the catalog shortly. Even if the production supercharger doesnt boost power to such extremes, it ought to be good for knocking a second or so off 0 to 60/h time, and into the rearview mirror of the Dodge Ram SRT-10 nearest you. And because stopping is just as important as going, TRD also offers a big-brake kit designed especially for the X-Runner, which increases the 10.6-inch front discs and 10.0 inch rear drums to bigger, 13-inch discs with four-piston calipers for even better stopping power.

Within its price range, this is by far the nicest interior Ive ever encountered in a lightweight pickup truck. Everythings tightly screwed together with the usual Toyota precision, and it has the tactility and quality that wouldnt be out of place in the new Camry. Im a fan of the wide variety of materials used - the dimpled matte plastic that surrounds the instrument cluster, and the coarsely ridged bright-finish around the center console, it all looks upscale. The positively snug seats also get special treatment, with cushions trimmed in a durable mesh fabric that kind of reminds me of my running shoes. At night, theres no need for additional neon kits as the whole truck lights up in a stunning amber color. There are also plenty of cup and bottle holders. I counted nine - three in the center console, two bottle holders on each door pocket, and two for the rear passengers.

The cabins layout might not be to everyones tastes; not because of the driving position, or poor ergonomics for controls but because of accessibility. To make the most of the lengthy clutch, you end up sitting quite close to the steering wheel (which adjusts for reach and rake). Thats all fine and dandy, as it promotes an intuitive car-like seating position, but the problem manifests when getting in and out. Knees touch, bang and rub the steering column and lower dashboard trim, making for awkward entrances and exits, which is a disappointment, given that everything else is good. Oh, and whats with the parking brake?

But the Tacoma X-Runner does have a sensible side behind its bulldog face and snout. After a day at the wheel, unlike most other vehicles that bill themselves as being sporting and backing that claim, the X-Runner doesnt beat you up. The clutch, throttle and brake pedals are friendly, doing business duties without marking legs as casualties, and its surprisingly easy to maneuver in parking situations, mostly because visibility out the back is excellent. Thin pillars around the cabin help, as does having a low ride height, allowing you to clearly see whats coming up from behind. On the highway, things are surprisingly serene given that its a truck, and one with a live axle no less. Noise insulation is excellent, while the exhausts rumble mellows into a purr, with the engine turning over at a little more than 2,000 rpm in sixth. With all of these qualities, Toyotas taken the sting and excuses out of owning a pickup in a suburban environment.

The Tacoma X-Runner is a very good truck, but its crucial to remember that its a modified pickup, and not a sports car with a six-foot bed. Sure, you can attack corners with startling pace, but the method of approach requires adjustment. This engine is all about low-down grunt, rather than high revs and horsepower, not to mention the balky, truck-y nature of the clutch and shifter combo makes you want to stick it in sixth and let the masses of torque sort out any problems. The live rear end is also pretty tame, but can hop around a bit on very rough stretches that could potentially get the back end scrapping for traction. While the truck will indeed stick to the pavement like gum to hot asphalt, the steering is light and artificially weighted, so its not much of a confidence builder. Being the sportiest of Toyota pickups, the X-Runner could do with variable speed assistance to retain its agility at parking speeds, but add a little more weight to make the nose a little more decisive at speed. Either that, or the engineers should outright reduce assistance - either way, I dont think buyers will mind all that much.

Really, theres nothing on the market that matches up eye to eye with the one-price-fits-all $23,745 Tacoma X-Runner. In actuality, it has three major competitors, each of which targets the Tacoma in a different manner. Theres the Chevrolet Colorado Xtreme, which does a good job at appearances but fails to back its bark with bite. Then, theres the Frontier, which has a more powerful but peakier V6, and is only available in an on-and-off-road package, so it loses out on street cred. Theres also Dodges V8-powered Dakota, which, although a half-size larger is a bit of a muscle truck. It arguably out-muscles the X-Runner with its 260-hp and 310 lb-ft V8, but its hobbled by a heavier curb weight and nowhere near the same level of chassis modifications, a woeful inability to keep pace in the bends. Because of this, the X-Runner stands out: its a truck that hauls, and were not just talking about stuff.